Torta pasqualina

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped

500g greens, e.g. beet leaves, spring cabbage, chard, or spinach (or a mixture!)

15g parsley leaves, roughly chopped

½ tsp ground allspice

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

250g ricotta

handful of grated Parmesan

9 eggs

Salt and black pepper

500g all-butter puff pastry

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the onion is soft and starting to colour.
3. Add the greens and cover and cook for five-ten minutes,until the leaves have wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a little.
4. Line a colander with a clean tea towel or muslin and pour in the contents of the pan. Draw the sides of the towel around the filling and squeeze out the juice: you want the mixture to be as dry as possible.
5. Transfer the contents of the towel to a bowl and add the herbs, spices, cheeses, three eggs, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix well and set aside.
6. Cut a third off the pastry and set aside. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a 30cm square that's 2.5mm thick.
7. Transfer to a 20cm-wide spring-form cake tin with 7cm high sides. Press the pastry into the edges of the tin and trim off most of the overhang.
8. Roll the remaining pastry into a 25cm square lid and set aside.
9. Tip the greens mixture into the tin and use a spoon to create five egg-sized holes. Break an egg into each hole, then lay the lid on top.
10. Trim the edges, then pinch the lid and base together to make sure it's secure.
11. Whisk the remaining egg, brush it over the lid, then prick a few times with a fork.
12. Bake for 45 minutes, until cooked and golden brown. Leave to cool for half an hour, and serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe tastes even better made with vegetables from Community Harvest Whetstone :)